Iran’s supreme leader visits quake-hit area, urges more aid

November 20, 2017

In this photo released by the office of the Iranian supreme leader on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, speaks in the town of Sarpol-e-Zahab, that was hit hard by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake last Sunday that killed hundreds and injured thousands, in Western Iran. Khamenei urged for more efficiency and aid for the people in the stricken area along the border with Iraq. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader has visited the earthquake-hit region along the border with Iraq and urged more efficiency and aid for residents.

The temblor killed over 530 people and injured thousands.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told residents in the worst-hit Kurdish town of Sarpol-e Zahab on Monday that he is not yet “content” with how the aid has been delivered.

Khamenei praised the rescue and relief operations following the magnitude 7.3 earthquake, but said “officials should double their efforts.”

Iran is located on major seismic faults and experiences an earthquake per day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam in southern Iran, killing 26,000 people.